On Oct. 21 we lost former U.S. Sen. George McGovern. Although many will recall his disastrous 1972 loss to Richard Nixon and his subsequent leadership in getting us out of Vietnam, his truly lasting legacy will be his war on hunger and malnutrition.
In...

The 59-year-old Burbank man who was found dead in front of a house Friday night died of a heart attack, authorities said Monday.
The man — identified as Artashes Sarkisian — had suffered from heart disease, said Los Angeles County...

The 55-year-old veteran Alaska Airlines pilot found dead on a 5 Freeway offramp in Burbank in October died of natural causes, authorities said Thursday.
The man — Lee Morris of Richland, Wash. — died of atherosclerotic heart disease, said Los...

This year’s developments have certainly vindicated those of us who care about our health, our environment and our treatment of animals.
In January, First Lady Michelle Obama unveiled revamped federal guidelines requiring school cafeterias to...

With the new school year just around the corner, parents’ attention is turning to school clothes, supplies and lunches. Yes, school lunches.
Traditionally, USDA had used the National School Lunch Program as a dumping ground for surplus meat and dairy commodities. Not surprisingly, its own surveys indicate that children consume excessive amounts of animal fat and sugary drinks, to the point where one-third have become overweight or obese. Their early dietary flaws become lifelong addictions, raising...

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued a warning Monday about the air quality in the Santa Clarita and San Gabriel valleys.
Public Health Director Jonathan Fielding advised people with respiratory or heart disease to stay inside as much as possible and to avoid outdoor exercise, the L.A. Times reported.
Children with asthma or other respiratory problems shouldn't do physical education or other activities outside, according to the public health department.
The South Coast Air...

The biggest health issue facing the Glendale community is obesity and several conditions related to it, according to a local report released this week.
More than a third of Glendale's residents were overweight in 2011 and 21% were found to be obese, according to the “Community Health Needs Assessment” report.
The list of top health issues also included conditions for which obesity is a risk factor, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and high cholesterol.
Also at the...

Public health officials today warned that the air quality in the Santa Clarita and east San Gabriel valleys is unhealthy, and those with respiratory ailments should limit outdoor activity.
The warning from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health comes as a heat wave takes hold in the Southland. Temperatures, particularly Tuesday and Wednesday, are expected to hit triple degrees in some parts of the valley.
Burbank and Pasadena are expected to remain in the 90-degree range throughout the...

La Cañada Flintridge topped the list of average life expectancies in Los Angeles County, according to a report released this week.
La Cañadans can expect to live an average life span of 87.8 years — 4.1 years longer than La Crescenta-Montrose residents (ranked 12th), 4.9 years longer than Glendale residents (ranked 22nd) and 6.6 years longer than Burbank residents (ranked 37th), according the report by the Los Angeles County Department of Health
Robert Stanley, director of community development...

A cardiologist, endocrinologist, psychiatrist, nurse practitioner and allergist. These five medical professionals in Burbank and Glendale may have different specialties, but they have one source of income in common — drug companies.
Since 2009, 33 medical professionals in Burbank and Glendale have been paid roughly $500,000 by eight pharmaceutical companies for speaking engagements and other services, with nearly 70% of the cash spread among five practitioners, according to a database compiled...